#in the middle of writing this my boss called and the floodgates opened

[madamewriterofwrongs]

I'm so sorry, it's such a horrible day all around and I'm sending you al the good vibes I can find. I've never really sent a prompt before, but if you felt like writing some Buddie 2.01 AU, where their first meeting wasn't actually their first meeting, that might be fun? Or literally anything, everything you write makes me smile! Hope it gets better soon!! ❤

Hey! Thank you for sending this. Tonight has been an absolute shitshow of emotions but having something to focus on definitely helped. 

So, yeah. This is a First Meeting AU of sorts. Again, thank you for giving me something to do other than cry. I really appreciate it.

Dear Eddie,

Thank you for being my bunk buddy. I had a really good camp with you. Please write me from Texas.

From, Buck.

 Dear Buck,

Hi from Texas. Thank you for the bracelet. My sister said bracelets are for girls but I don’t care. I also had a really good time at camp and I can’t wait to go next year. Will you be there, next year? Maybe we could bunk together again. School starts soon and I’m a little nervous because fifth grade is my last year at this school and I don’t want to leave my friends behind. What’s your favourite subject in school? Mine

 Dear Eddie,

Please tell your sister than anyone can wear bracelets and that if she tries to make fun of them again, the ghost of Camp Kuriakas will haunt her dreams. I tried that on my sister but she just laughed at me so maybe you’ll have better luck. Mom says I can’t go back to camp next year because we’re moving and it will be too far away. But don’t worry, you can write me from camp and tell me all about it. I don’t really like school but I do like the library. I’ve been reading this book called

Dear Buck,

Camp wasn’t as fun without you but you were right about Suzie Pecoski, she had to leave a day early because the popcorn got stuck in her braces. Jose laughed but I told him not to and he told Counselor Lia that I punched him. So after dinner, I did. He didn’t tell that time. I still missed you though. I hope your new house is nice. What is your room like?

 Dear Eddie,

I can’t believe I start high school tomorrow. I tried to call Maddie and ask for advice but she didn’t pick up so I guess I’m on my own for this one. Except I’m not alone because I have you. You’d answer if I called, right, Eddie? Anyways, I’ve been thinking about your theory about the island being purgatory

 Buck,

I have no idea what I’m doing but I definitely think I just asked Kylie Wilcox to the dance. I am freaking out! Kylie’s nice and she’s so pretty but I didn’t mean to ask her. I just meant to ask if she needed someone to help on the committee. But I guess I have a date to the dance. What do I even wear? I’m not asking Sophia. One: she’s two years younger and would just make fun of all my choices and Two: she would definitely tell Adriana who would tell mom who would tell dad and then I’d never hear the end of it. Help me, Buck, you’re my only hope!

 Eddie,

You do remember that these letters take weeks to get to me, right? Didn’t the dance already happen? I hope you didn’t trip over your two left feet and fall flat on your face. Oh wait. Yes I do. That’d be so funny. And you need to have more fun, Diaz.

 Buck,

Have you ever had feelings for a guy that you thought you could only have for a girl?

 Hi Eddie,

Isn’t email so much better? We’re one step closer to communicating like human beings. Welcome to the 21st century. Anyways, graduation’s coming up and my dad keeps asking me where I’m going to go to college and I don’t know how much longer I can keep avoiding answering him. How do I tell him I failed? How am I going to face him? He’s going to be so disappointed in me. Maddie and Doug are driving in for the ceremony and I haven’t even told her that they’re letting me walk across the stage out of pity. I’m scared.

 Dear Buck,

Greetings from El Paso! Remember when I said I was never going to work for my father? Guess who’s the newest employee. I suppose it’s a good thing. This thing with Shannon is getting serious and I know I should have a stable job. I just thought I’d have a little time, you know? I thought I’d get to be me for a little bit. Sorry Seattle didn’t work out. Hey, maybe you could try Texas next. Try all four corners of the country, right? That wouldn’t be so bad.

 Dear Eddie,

I am writing from an internet café in Guatemala. Don’t ask me how I got here, I’m not entirely sure myself but I know it involved tequila. And possibly the guy I woke up next to (I think his name was Nico?) but who knows. Congratulations on Shannon getting pregnant!!! I know you’re freaking out. You don’t have to tell me that you’re freaking out because I know you. But you’re going to be a great dad. Hell, you’ve been half-raising me since you helped me learn my times tables at camp. I can’t believe what losers we were that we stayed up all night doing math. Anyways, I’ll let you know when I’m back in the states. And STOP FREAKING OUT.

 Dear Buck,

I’m sorry it’s taken so long to reply. The WiFi’s shit over here. I’m actually typing this from a hospital bed. Don’t worry, I’m okay. Or at least I will be. They said they’re sending me home and (you’re the only one I can tell this to) I got scared. I don’t know what’s waiting for me back in Texas. I don’t know what I’m coming home to. The officers keep telling me that it was an honor to serve my country and Shannon keeps telling me that she would rather I serve my family. I thought I was doing that but I was wrong. I was wrong about a lot of things, Buck, but there’s one thing I do know. Only one of us is throwing our life away for a worthy cause.

 Eddie,

You are a pretentious asshole, you know that? You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Just because I don’t have a wife and a kid and a white picket fence, you think I don’t know what I’m doing with my life. You’re wrong. You think you know me because we shared a room one summer when we were kids but you don’t know me, Eddie Diaz. You just want me to be like you.

 I’m sorry, Eddie. I didn’t mean any of it. The truth is I’m lost. You were right. You’re always right. I know I’m just a screw up but please don’t tell me I’ve screwed this up too.

 Eddie, I’m so sorry. Please respond.

 Hey Buck,

It’s been a while (two years, I think?). I just wanted to see how you were doing. A little update on my life. Shannon left me. Sort of. It’s complicated. Christopher and I actually just moved to California so I could start a new job. I’m hopeful that this is the right change for us. I hope you’re doing well. I know I never said it but I forgive you and I’m sorry. You were my best friend, Buck, and I hope we can be friends again. I didn’t realize how much I relied on you until you were gone. I know I’m the one who shut you out. I really hope you can forgive me for that because I miss you. I miss my friend. Anyways, if you’re ever in Los Angeles, let me know. You know after all these years, I don’t know what you look like. I still remember the skinny kid with the birthmark over his eye who tried to go skinny dipping in the lake but slipped on the docks and bruised his elbow. I wonder what he’s up to.

 Dear Eddie,

You’ll never believe this, but I ran into a guy at work who has the same name as you. What a coincidence, right? I think I was in denial for most of the day that, of all places, I would reunite with you at a fire station in Los Angeles. But I’m really glad we did.

 Buck,

I’m sending instructions for Christopher’s birthday party (I know, I know, you are the party planning expert but I’m the father so you have to at least pretend to listen to me). He’s really looking forward to it. It’s the first one without Shannon so Buck? Please make it perfect for my kid? I could really use a win this year. And no ice cream cake (don’t think I don’t know he’s been trying to talk you into it). I’m already going to have to deal with a room full of hyper nine-year-olds, I don’t need melted ice cream on top of that. What am I saying? You’re the party planner, you can clean it up. What would I do without you?

 Eddie,

I was going to text you but that seemed too informal and there’s too much pressure on a phone call so I thought I’d go back to what we do best. You were right when you said I was afraid. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and it’s you. We’ve known each other our whole lives and it never occurred to me that I might be in love with you. But that doesn’t mean I’m not. Eddie, I think I’ve been in love with you since we were nine years old and you kissed my bruised elbow. When you kissed me tonight, I don’t know, I froze. I’m so sorry, Eddie. If I could do it over, I’d still be kissing you. God, I really hope I haven’t screwed this up for good.

 Hey Buck,

Turn around.

Love, Eddie.

#cj writes things #911 fox #911 fic #buddie #buddie fic #in the middle of writing this my boss called and the floodgates opened #so that's why this took as long as it did

[musedblues]

Always Something There To Remind Me [Part: 5]

summary: Home is where the heart is. You’re working on finding yours. After a handful of misfortunes, your old friend Joe helps to unravel life’s greatest mystery while adding a bit of extra grief to the mix.

warning: Angst central! But a truly happy ending?

w/c: 4k

a/n: Well well well... enjoy this chapter lovies! There's only ONE final update to go. I have far too many feelings, I'll leave it at that. But DO let me know how you lot feel!

taglist: @im-an-adult-ish​ @mrsmazzello​ @lettinggosthehardestpart​ @the-moving-finger-writes​ @imtheinvisiblequeen​ @joemazzmatazz​ @sherlollydramoine​

Part 6

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Enough time had passed that you began to wonder what was next, in life. Where were you supposed to go, now? What were you supposed to be doing? There were still tendrils of sadness and uncertainty keeping you glued in place, without a clear view of your future.

But like always, you had Joe. And like always, you had plans with him. After romping around the city, you decided to invite him over for a classic movie night, the very next weekend.

As you sat in the flower shop all week, willing customers to show up and save you from boredom and longing for Friday to come closer, your wishes half came true. That day, Joe showed up on the other side of your counter several hours earlier than planned.

"You know I have to finish my shift before we start movie night, right?" You joked as he rested each palm on the opposite side of your counter. Joe wasn't smiling, and he was dressed up way too nice for a casual night of ranking your favorite films.

"I'm so sorry. But I have to cancel movie night." Joe lulled his head, a moment of silence for the plans he just shot dead.

"You came all this way to let me down, huh?" You jeered once more, hoping you didn't sound half as crushed as you felt. It was just movie night, you could reschedule.

"I totally forgot I already promised Lacy I'd show up at this super fancy thing tonight."

"Ouch." You remarked, regretting your tone for real now. Lacy hadn't been around to greet you since she'd spotted Joe outside your shop last week. And you knew she was never really your friend, but it still stung to know you'd been used.

"I'm really sorry I spaced it. But I felt too bad about letting her down last minute." Joe explained.

"Why? Might help to knock a bit of air out of her head." You countered. Because while you knew you were unimportant enough to let Lacy walk all over you, Joe deserved better.

"She's not that bad," Joe added, pointing out that Lacy was at least a little bad.

"She's not that fucking great either." You were now officially angry that her claws were deep enough in your friend that he hadn't taken notice of the fact that Lacy was using him, too.

Once the floodgates opened, you couldn't go on acting like you didn't have something to say. Thank God the flower shop was empty and your boss was out with deliveries...

"You're just a trophy to her, she just takes you out to show you off!" It seemed you were stating the obvious, but it felt much scarier.

"Whoa, where is this coming from?" Joe shifted away from your counter, furrowing his brow as if this was really news to him.

"I just can't believe you don't see that you're a prize for Lacy to win. I've never once heard her tell me what it is what you do when you're together, just that you score her a few hundred new Instagram followers every time you come around."

"Yeah well, I'm about to be late for another appearance." Joe shrugged, speaking low in your direction. Maybe he liked the attention, you thought, heart sinking to the floor as you realized that this life had yet to make sense.

"I really wish you could hear what I'm trying to say." You spoke up, desperate for Joe to stop moving toward the door and away from you.

"Call me when you learn to say it better." He bit back just moments before disappearing into the crowded mall and leaving you all alone.

///

That night, you never turned the television on. Instead, you held a book in your hand, pretending to turn the pages. All you really focused on was playing the scene with Joe from earlier over in your head, wishing it could have happened differently.

When your mother got home she was raving about the day she spent photographing some reality star’s wedding. You pretended to listen, keeping your eyes on the book and your mind far far away.

“Where’s Joe? I thought he’d be here tonight.” Your mother wondered, kicking off her shoes and bustling toward the kitchen.

“Hell if I know.” You sighed, realizing you still didn’t know what he and Lacy might have been up too or why he was wearing his fanciest suit jacket.

“So… dinner for two then, I suppose?” Your mother rang from the kitchen, clearly trying her utmost not to irk any further.

“Actually I think I’m just gonna call it a night.” You decided, sitting up and heading straight for the stairs. You shouted a half-hearted goodnight to your mother, longing for this day to just end. But as you shut yourself into the bedroom that hadn’t much changed since you were in high school, you couldn’t stop letting your mind wander.

So, you called Tegan, jumping straight into filling her in on everything that happened since the last time you spoke to her. She listened, adding in quips that meant she was paying attention. When you finished letting it all out, Tegan seemed to think over her response.

“I understand you’re upset, but you haven’t really said why.” Your friend pointed out, an ocean away. Funny how she was still your light in the dark, you thought.

You realized you just told Tegan the story of your whole week, ending with how shitty you felt for snapping at Joe over a girl who didn’t matter that much; but never gave your true feelings away.

“I guess I’m just a little jealous, huh?” You huffed a laugh, basking in the flicking amber light coming from the lamp on your desk. “I’ve always been used to Joe’s attention. Ever since I got back home… I don’t know.”

“Maybe you should tell him all that, y/n.” Tegan suggested softly, after a long understanding pause. You wished she was closer so you could hug her and remind her what a damn good friend she was. So you told her just that, and went to bed even more confused than before.

///

A couple of days passed as you tried to think up what to say, and when to say it. Joe coldly suggested you call him, but that felt far too impersonal. You realized that since coming home, since Kris died, and Joe’s dad passed, and since spending time together again; you and Joe never really talked much about any of that.

Your phone was blank of text messages from him. Even though you wanted to ring Joe, you knew that the second you got his attention that all you’d want to do was make things right. And he deserved much more than a cellphone chat.

So one very cloudy afternoon, while your mother was over having lunch with Mrs. Mazzello, you left a note and hopped in the car. While just thinking zooming down the freeway made you nervous, the thought of going much longer without Joe made you absolutely sick.

You held your breath behind the wheel, minding speed limits and thinking of nothing but what you had to do. The city streets were jam-packed, but even through all the traffic, you seemed to end up in a parking spot in the blink of an eye. You made it. This was it. Now for the hard part...

When you passed through the third-floor entrance and stood outside Joe's door, you were still holding your breath. But you had to knock. You had to get this over with. Much quicker than you expected, the door opened and Joe was standing there in a fancy leather jacket, expectantly gazing into the hall. But his expression morphed into confusion when he saw you, and you wondered who else he might have been hoping to see.

“Hi.” You shrugged meekly. Joe stepped to the side wordlessly offering for you to come inside. You took the opportunity to speak up once more as Joe shut the door behind you.

“I know you said to call, but I think we have too much to talk about.” You started. Joe moved back in front of you, listening.

“I’m sorry for freaking out on you at the mall last week I shouldn’t have said most of that.”

Joe shifted in place and looked away from you, just before saying, “I really can’t do this right now.”

You felt a distant rumble in the grounds of your universe and wondered if this was it. If you’d waited too long and showed up at the wrong time and ruined everything on your mission to make it right. Then Joe went on…

“How are you so good at pushing me away and then showing back up like nothing ever happened?”

Just as you were about to ask what the hell he was talking about, he spoke up again.

"When I went along to drop you off at the airport before you moved to the UK, do you remember what you said to me?" Joe asked in a pitch that stung your heart. You were so anxious back then to rule the world that it was hard to recall past all the fresh wreckage. So you shook your head and prepared for Joe's answer. You weren't expecting to be greeted with a smile today, but Joe's upset was scaring you.

"I told you I was going to miss you. And all you said to me was 'try and remember what it was like before we met.' That's how you left me." You'd never seen Joe's eyes so piercing. He was angry, but he was talking so calmly that you couldn't understand what to do. Had you really dismissed Joe's feeling like that then?

"But then you just kept calling me. And of course, I answered." He scooted a little closer as you drew your arms around your middle.

"Then you move back here, and we get on like no time has passed. You stay with me and you sleep in my bed and I wake up to find you've left it." He stopped, chuckling in a small breath as your stomach fell away.

"And now whatever this is about.” He waved a hand to you. “You push me away and then come back and I don’t get it. So maybe you should just- wait... how- how did you get here?"

"I drove." You said with a tiny smile. A rush of pride swooped deep in your chest, but the nerves dancing on your skin were the only thing you could feel. "And... I know. I came here to apologize. I'm sorry for a lot of things and I-" Joe was staring at you, searching your face while you started in on your monologue, there was a knock at the door.

"Queen is in town" He huffed. "And so is everyone else." Joe offered an exasperated explanation as he took a few steps to greet whoever he’d actually been expecting.

A happy looking Gwilym Lee bound into the room, and Joe smiled for the first time since your interaction.

"Oh, the gang is all here! I didn't know you were coming along." Gwilym looked at you with a hundred-watt smile that reached his eyes. Your heart didn't know whether to flip or plummet to the floorboards.

"I've just got to change if that's alright." Gwil shrugged to Joe, holding up a small tote of clothes, you presumed. The boy's plans must have been minutes away from happening. Why was your timing always so shit?

"Yeah of course." Joe pointed to the bathroom even though Gwil already knew where to find it. The guy disappeared behind the door and you were left alone with Joe without much time to make things right. You began to fear that your poor timing had left a permeate scar on your friendship with Joe forever, but then he spoke up.

"You can either come with us, and you and I can talk about this later tonight... Or you can go home now. And I really don't think you should do that."

His voice was quiet for the sake of Gwilym happening to hear, but there was a softness in Joe's tone that wasn't there minutes ago. He was giving you a chance. You felt like a kid who'd just weaseled their way out of detention, one folly dismissed, but the rest of your actions being closely monitored until further notice. You had to accept his offer, even if you weren't dressed as well for the occasion.

“Okay.” You nodded, unsure how you were supposed to act, barely processing where you were off too.

The tall Welshman reappeared from the bathroom in record time, sporting a striped mint green shirt and wild eyes.

“Let’s go have some fun!” Gwilym announced, leading the way to the front door. This was like an optical illusion, a fever dream version of the weekend before where everything was the same but so much different all at once.

///

The next thing you knew you were sat in the back of Joe’s car, one seat away from Gwilym, who went on wishing he could stay with Joe again but how there was some hotel in the city paying for his room, hosting some fashion show he had to attend. You wished you could have such worries, but teetered in the middle of feeling excited to see Gwil, and totally afraid of where you and Joe stood.

Just before your thoughts consumed you, the car pulled into the backstage lot of a huge arena. Through a break in the gates, you could see hoards of fans peppering the sidewalks on the horizon, racing to the front doors. At the sight of a couple of young girls and their parents decked in Queen merch, you realized that this night was probably going to be the long-awaited best experience ever, for some of these concert goers. And here you were, an undeserving drag along. You tried not to appear as out of place as you felt while you got out of the car and followed close behind the boys who knew right where to go.

On the way, without a word or a moment's hesitation, Joe grabbed your hand. You couldn't at all be sure if he could tell you were out of your element, or if this was a step in dissolving the divide between you, but you were glad for it either way. You gripped back and took a deep breath, listening to Gwilym ramble about how excited he was for everyone to be together again.

Oh shit, you thought. Of course, everyone was going to be here. Tonight of all nights, when you couldn’t be sure what was going on between you and Joe, he pulled you alongside him through the back halls of an arena. Roadies and techs hauled heavy equipment down side halls, while the one you walked through remained empty and hollow. Your heartbeat was heavy and low, you swore you felt Joe squeeze your hand. Why was he still holding yours?

You didn’t have much more time to worry before you were upon a green room, where several strangers mingled around craft tables hardly looking your way.

The group who did turn around with a cheer was made up of Joe’s former co-stars and dear friends. You knew their faces and remembered their names. Joe made sure they all knew yours.

Lucy was made up of perfect features and a gentle disposition and she hugged you like you’d known her for years. You didn’t know Ben but you’d go so far as to say his smile was genuine and he meant when he said he was glad to finally meet you.

Then there was Rami. You’d learned his name before all this, back when he worked with Joe before. The handsome actor crashed a few facetime calls with Joe and was always nice to you during those virtual hangs. You never really imagined you get the chance to say hello again, and wondered if the superstar even recalled those days at all.

You watched Rami break away from a happy hug with Joe, who started to introduce you. But Rami spoke up first.

"I always wondered when this day would come." Rami let a knowing smirk turn up at the corner of his mouth when he locked eyes with you. And something happened, as you looked at him.

You'd been coping with the fact that everyone kept disappearing. But as you looked at Rami for the first real-time, you realized that some people came back. Rami hugged you without another word, and you hugged him back hard, and it lasted a while. It was as if he knew what you were thinking, how profoundly this meeting altered your perspective.

You spotted Joe watching on with a soft expression that nearly broke your already confused heart. He caught your eye and closed his in a slow blink, silently communicating that for now, everything was okay. When the hug ended, you smiled at Rami and he told you he was glad you were here. If there weren't a mess of other people excitedly chatting around you, you might have just cried.

And of course, that’s when two members of the world’s coolest fucking band bopped into the room, casually greeting new faces and kicking around the lounge as if they weren’t royalty.

Roger and Brian were happy to see Joe and Gwil, and the boys were happy to see the band. You felt all too much like you were invading Joe’s space, but he still looked happy when he reached over to introduce you to Roger and Brian. The rockstars cheerfully acknowledged you and you had no time to process what was happening as the group moved from the green room to the hallway. It was time for the show.

How did you end up here, at the bottom of a spectacular risen stage, watching Joe latch on to his friends who you’d only just meet but made you feel apart nonetheless?

Joe mingled among his friends who seemed to truly adore him, but kept floating back to you, filling you in on inside jokes and old stories. And when you started to tell some of your own, it seemed Joe had already beaten you to the punch, having already told his new friends about all your old adventures.

When Queen took the stage, your world was enveloped by the boom of multiple speakers and songs you’d loved forever. Brian and Roger were masters of their craft. You lost yourself in the spectacle, watching fans raise their fists in the air and sing along to familiar ballads. It wasn’t long before someone tore you from taking it all in, though.

"A ydych yn cael amser da?" Gwilym was leaning toward you, a beer at his chest and a nervous grin on his lips

A smile bloomed across your face as your brain worked at super speeds to piece together what he'd just asked. Living so long in Wales and serving drinks to grumpy old men who had a lot to complain about was the best way to pick up the langue; alongside Tegan who translated stories to you after hours. You didn't know everything, but you knew enough to realize Gwilym had just asked you if you were having a good time. You hadn't heard a thing like it in ages...

"Bydda! Wyt ti?" You laughed, turning to look at Gwil with glee.

"I just texted me mum to ask how to say that on the ride over, I'm sorry I don't know what you just said," Gwilym admitted over a flaming guitar solo, a little tipsy.

"We'll have that secret langue down one day." You laughed.

Everyone had been so lovely and welcoming to you, but Gwil seemed to officially be your friend now, too. You realized that the interaction with him was the first time you’d ever addressed your time in Wales without mentally spiraling down the path of the tragic backstory you scored there. You almost missed the place, now.

As you considered the rocky way your day had started out, you realized that the night had been made of tiny stitches of really good things. You weren’t foolish enough to understand how lucky you were, but you felt undeserving all the while. 

Rami kept giving you winks and nods that you somehow understood.

Lucy kept pulling you in for sweet selfies.

And the band played their hearts out. But when they eased into Who Wants To Live Forever, you were sent floating back to earth, cursed by trauma you didn’t even feel attached to any longer, but that still haunted you all the same. The song only sent you deeper into your own thoughts, and luckily when you turned to look for Joe, he was right by your side.

“Thanks for letting me tag along.” You spoke to Joe, leaning in close so he could hear past the song.

“I’m really glad you’re here.” Joe leaned closer, and while you didn't know why, you knew he meant it.

///

You were in the backseat of Joe’s car against before you knew it. Gwil had slipped in the front to help find directions to his hotel, planning to get lunch with Joe before he headed home for London at the end of the week.

A part of your heart had been left in that arena, on the stage where two musical icons put on a killer show. In the place where you met some of Joe’s closest confidants, a place you’d been invited too. Your ears rang, and the bright lights that flickered as Joe drove through the city caused you to doze off.

You only caught bits of Gwilym leaving, barely registering when he promised to see you both again. You only really came to when Joe parked in a lot of his building.

What now? You didn’t know. You only followed behind Joe as you noticed him watching to make sure you were close by. Neither of you spoke on the trek up to his place, and even as you passed into his apartment there was a lingering silence. The calm before the storm, you decided.

You stood in his kitchen a few feet apart, knowing that you had to finish what you started here, earlier.

“I know I didn’t give you much of an option showing up unannounced but… why did you invite me to the show?” You asked slowly, trying to reason why Joe would have been nice enough to let you tag along if he was so upset with you earlier.

He stood leaning against the island, staring at you as if he’d forgotten you'd been at odds the last time you stood here.

“Because even though sometimes I don’t understand you, I still want you around. I still want you to be a part of things. It just makes sense.” Joe looked at you through his lashes.

“I’m sorry I’m so good at fucking everything up.” You said, tears stinging your eyes. You didn’t deserve Joe, and he didn’t deserve you and the shadows cast from the cloud that seemed to follow you around these days.

“You don’t fuck everything up,” Joe spoke assuredly. “You might make shit a little difficult sometimes, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that I love you.”

You had been trying not to cry since you got here, but nothing could stop you from bursting into tears, now. Yeah, this was definitely the backward path to making things better. And you were so confused that it was hard to see if things were better or not. All you could do was cover your face in your hands and hope for the best.

And when Joe spoke up to nervously ask why you were crying, all you could say was,

“Because I love you too.” You explained in a frustrated cry. This was another example of how unnecessarily stressful you had to make things, and that only made you cry harder.

But it wasn’t long before you felt Joe approach, cautiously reaching out to calm you down. He pulled you closer and you dared to close the gap, falling against Joe as you struggled to stop your tears.

He held onto you there, letting you cry until you couldn’t any longer. There was an exceptional weight lifted from your shoulders in the midst of letting out everything you’d been trying to push deep down for so long now.

As you steadied your breathing, you wished you didn’t have an excuse to release your latch on Joe. But when he slowly let go of you, he remained just as close. Joe brushed back your hair and wiped away some of your stray tears as you stared at him in awe of his unwavering care.

Then, he kissed you. Joe kissed you. Like the cameras were rolling and you were meant to appear crazy about each other. It all happened so quickly that your brain seemed to short circuit. You came to your senses enough to give into kissing him back, hardly thinking of how you got here, lost in the fact that it was happening at all.

But as the kiss died down and you both parted to catch your breath, you remembered why you came to Joe’s in the first place. And even though his eyes were still locked on your lips, you regretfully had to snap him out of it.

"Don't you dare kiss me again until we figure our shit out," You demand, wagging your finger and spinning over to the couch. It was time to stop pretending you knew everything about each other and ask a few questions.

“We’ve never really talked since I got back. I think we’d better.” You crossed your arms as Joe chuckled, at your demeanor but nodding as if he just realized this was true.

Together you sat facing each other in the middle of his big comfy couch, and seamlessly delved into a conversation about all the bits that made up your complicated life long relationship. You talked about how sorry you were for so many things and how grateful you were for others.

Joe apologized for getting so upset with you when you showed up, today. You apologized for not calling him as often as you should have and missing his dad's funeral. You started to apologize for letting your jealousy get the better of you last week, but Joe stopped you. He admitted that he'd only kept Lacy around so long because he did, in fact, like the attention. Then he apologized for making you feel like you had something to be wrong about.

The conversation lasted for at least an hour or more, until you caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall. It was suddenly three in the morning. There seemed to be so much more left to discuss with Joe, years of conversations had been left unfinished, and you were just getting started on picking up the pieces.

"Hey, remember when I used to joke about you and I swapping places for a day?" You suddenly recalled with a smile. Joe's eyes sparkled with recognition while he barely lifted a brow, suggesting you go on...

"I really believed no one would notice. Because you were always over for dinner and I was always over for breakfast."

"And we were gone together most of the day, anyway." Joe chuckled, eyes blinking slowly like an old trusting cat. You let yourself smile, considering everything all at once. Not much had changed, it seemed...

“What the fuck are we gonna do now, Joe?” You asked, like there was a war outside and no time to find shelter.

“What we’ve been doing. What we’re doing now.” Joe shrugged. “Figuring shit out together.” He stressed that final word with a micro nod and a gleam in his eye.

"Can I stay the night?" You whispered, not out of shyness, just respect. Besides, you already knew the answer. You could tell Joe wasn't going to let you out of his moonstruck sight for the rest of time and you had no plans of straying.

As soon as Joe started to give a nod of approval you slouched closer to him, slinking your arms around his shoulders and nearly falling asleep the second you melted against him.

Joe held you, not too tight. Just warm and precious. His fingers lightly scratched your shoulder blade as you both seemed to sigh in relief.

"I missed you." You muffled against his skin. Joe let out a contented mewl then, pulling you ever so slightly closer against him.

"Do we have all our shit worked out now?" Joe asked in a way you knew was serious. And because for the most part, you did, you said,

"Are you just asking so you can kiss me again?"

You both laughed, just like always. And for the first time in a long time, you weren’t worried about what happened, what was currently happening, or what might. You just felt happy. You were happy.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

#joe mazzello #joe mazello x reader #joe mazzello fanfic #joe mazzello imagine

[imagine-that-one-thing]

Compromise, Love & Trust.

Things hadn't been easy, the relationship feels as though it is a sinking ship in the middle of the Atlantic. 

He knew from the moment he dropped his bags at the door that something wasn't right. The apartment wasn't lit up like it usually is, dinner wasn't waiting for him and neither were you. You weren't waiting at the door to greet him nor were you wearing that angelic smile of yours. He knew by the lack of texting back and forth the last few days that the relationship was on the rocks, he knew things were turning south when you didn't call him before he boarded his flight.

Shawn observes you in the living room, the silvery blanket draped over you as a cup of tea rests in one hand and your other rests on your book in your lap.

When you don't bother to look up and acknowledge him, he knows that deep down, you are drowning in your thoughts.

"Can we talk? I don't like arguing."

"No need to argue," you respond, "you don't listen either way."

"Y/N,-"

"You don't get to validate things by using that tone with my name," you immediately cut him off, not cherishing how he draws your name out with his honeyed voice.

"I get it, Y/N, I do. You don't want me performing with her, but I have to."

“You don’t get it... you look at her the same way you used to look at me,” you respond as you attempt to hold back tears that are threatening to pour down your cheeks like open floodgates.

Shawn glances at you as silence fills the hollow space between the two of you.

He’s not denying anything, he’s not attempting to wiggle his way out of this. And for a moment, you think he has given up on the relationship and that this has all been one-sided. 

You can see in the way his usually effervescent, champagne-brown eyes are shining a dull shade that his thoughts are consuming him and his words are on the tip of his tongue but he doesn’t know how to get them out. He’s suffocating.

He gulps before taking a breath and licking is dry lips that are close to trembling with fear of losing the only girl he has ever loved, you. “I-uhm...” he shakes his head, “you have it all wrong and before you interrupt, just listen, please,” he breathes out, almost pleading for you to hold back on your emotional words and raging thoughts that are gradually destroying the relationship. “I can’t deny that I look at her in the way I used to look at you, but there’s a difference. I used to look at you with lust, I used to look at you as the horny teenage boy I used to be who didn’t know any better... now... now I look at you like you’ve hung the stars in the sky.” ... “darling, I look at you with more love than I’ve ever looked at anyone else. I don’t look at you with lust anymore because I’m entirely in love with you...” his voice trails off into a whisper. “You were looking and craving for the wrong thing.”

“As sweet as that sounds, I saw the chemistry. I see the way you guys looked at each other.”

Shawn shakes his head, “stage chemistry is different. I mean every word I say when I say I’m in love with you. Sure, the women I work with and even have on stage are gorgeous, but they don’t compare to you. I love you for your personality, your witty comments, the way your lips curve into a smile and the way you cross your arms over your chest when you’re upset. I love the way you cuddle up to me when you’re cold and how you shove me when I’m taking up the bed. I love you for the way you wait until 4 pm in my Timezone before calling me. I love you for the way you organise my clothes in the wardrobe by colour and for the way you even pack my suitcases. I love you for the way you dance around the kitchen when cooking and for the way you fidget with your bracelets or your ring when you’re anxious and nervous. I love you for how you fall asleep during movies the second I pull you into me. I love you for how you always put other people first and you’re so selfless. I love you for so many damn reasons that I could spend all night listing them.”

He’s sincere with every word he expresses and you know this by the way his vivacious, virility brown eyes are soft and easy on the eye, you know his sincerity. "Shawn, I just... I don't know," you shrug, unsure whether fury is twisting inside of you or whether you're doubting his honesty.

He takes a breath and presses his sturdy hands to fall over the head of the other couch and bows his head before he tilts his head for his sienna brown eyes to stare over at you, "no matter what you saw of the performance, it was nothing but a performance. It isn't how it looks at all."

"Saying that is isn't how it looks, doesn't help, Shawn. You looked at each other-"

"I looked at her the way I look at someone who I have to perform with, it was all for the show, whatever emotions or desires are shown are platonic. I am in love with you and only you." ... "What do I need to do to prove that you're the only one I look at with love?"

"I don't know, Shawn."

"If you don't know, how am I meant to know, Y/N?" Shawn sighs as he bows his head again, feeling drunk on his rage and his decisions to continuously listen to his crew on what would benefit his album. He shouldn't have allowed the approach of an intimate performance overrule his judgement and he knows this. "Do you not trust me?" Shawn softly questions with a dulcimer sweet voice.

You lift your shoulder in a half shrug. It isn't that you don't trust him, it's that you don't trust the people he has to be around. They may have his album's best interest at heart but they don't have his best interests at heart when it comes to his personal life.

"You don't, you don't trust me," Shawn breathes out, his eyes growing dull.

"I do. I trust you but I don't trust the people who make the decisions for you. How would you feel if I had to perform intimately with a male?" ... "I don't even need you to answer that because I know the answer. You don't even like when I have to work late with my boss. But I have to be okay with the performance and the media saying you and I are over."

Shawn runs his fingers through his Restoration curls of cinnamon brown hair, "you know better than to listen to the media and whatever concoction the fans have going on."

"Well, it is hard when the evidence is written in the proof all over social media," you respond with an exhalation, lifting your tea to your strawberry-red lips.

Shawn shakes his head, "I'll stop performing the song."

"No, don't compromise your music."

"Well, I'm not compromising our relationship. I don't care what the media says or what everyone thinks. I only have eyes for you. You're the only person I love. Damnit, Y/N, you're the one I want to marry! Not her or any other woman, you! It is you!" Shawn raises his voice slightly, his fury springing to life as he looks over at you.

Your lip quivers and you grow silent, processing the words that have been said.

Shawn clears his throat and doesn't break eye contact with you, "you're the one I want to marry. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're the one I want to fall asleep next to, the one I want to come home to, the one I want to write songs about and to sing to late at night when you're upset. It's you, it has always been you and I will be damned if I let something like this ruin that."

"... Is this a proposal?" you question, your heartbeat quickening as you continue to process the words.

Shawn nods, "I don't have a ring and I don't have a fancy dinner prepared or much of a speech. All I have so far is your father's permission. Marry me, today and every day, marry me and be mine for the rest of eternity." Shawn pushes away from the couch and walks closer to you, his hand digging into his pocket.

"Shawn," you whisper as you watch him get down on one knee.

He pulls his keys from his pocket and takes off a key ring, "Y/N, will you do me the honour of saying yes to me? Saying yes to spending our lives together, to endless love, endless disagreements and an endless life of growing together. Will you marry me?" He glances up at you with his enthralling, champagne-brown eyes, his hand grasping yours as he awaits your response.

Through tears of joy cascading down your cheeks, you nod head, "yes, yes today and every day," you answer happily, "but on the condition that you keep the song on your setlist."

"Whatever it takes," he agrees, chuckling to himself as he slides the keyring on your finger. He stands up and sits beside you, his thumb gracing over your cheeks to wipe away your tears before he presses his succulent, sultry and velvet soft lips against yours.

He pulls away with a grin, "tomorrow morning we can go and pick out a ring and we can have a dinner and celebrate."

"Shawn, I don't need a ring, all I need is your unconditional love."

"You're getting a ring and all the love I can offer," Shawn presses a few sweet kisses to your lips, "I missed you, by the way."

"I missed you," you whisper, indulging in the kiss-inspiring and satin soft lips of his.

Masterlist.

#shawn mendes #shawn mendes imagines #imagine shawn mendes #shawn mendes prompt #shawn mendes prompts #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes blurbs #shawn mendes preference #shawn mendes preferences

[luki-fanfic]

KHR Fic: The Tempest Temptation

So I’ve been in a bad mental place the last few days, and most of the stuff I’m reading online isn’t helping the way it normally does (all my fandoms have suddenly started writing pairings or plots that make me feel even worse, talk about bad timing - I needed fluff and family dammit!). 

So I did what any fanfic author does and started working on something a guilty pleasure of my own.  Sort of stagnated, but feel like offering the first chunk.

Xanxus is eight years old and desperate to find something more than a future in the slums.  When he comes across a man with kind eyes and orange flames, he thinks he’s found it.

Inspired by a comment left on Generation Cross about Xanxus becoming Tsuna’s Storm Guardian.

The first time Xanxus meets him, it’s utterly forgettable except for how pathetic it is.

Xanxus is eight years old going on fifty, trawling the back alley of an Italian slum far away from the tourists.  He was born in a clinic just down the road, and never gone further than ten miles from the bare-walled apartment he and his mother call home. Here, life beats harsh reality into you young – the boy knows full well his future consists of nothing but drugs, gangs and messy death.  

But Xanxus isn’t like everyone else here.  Most children of whore have already picked chosen their path, but Xanxus refuses to bow.  He’s not ready to accept that, there’s a burning desire that life can’t quite snuff out, that he’s meant for more than this.  When he prowls the street, his head is high, no matter how much the prostitutes laugh and the runners mock him for refusing their deals.    

However, when the slight drizzle that’s been threatening the neighbourhood all afternoon turns into a full storm, it’s enough for him to slouch and slip into the shadows, taking an alley shortcut home.  Normally he wouldn’t risk running down the tight dark streets, but even trash is heading inside right now.

Except apparently, for the idiot on the ground, slumped on the ground.  He barely registers the new arrival, only raising his head when his footsteps register.

The man is Asian, with wild hair, a two-day shadow and dressed in a suit that was probably quality before it got dragged through whatever war the man had crawled away from.  His face hosts a pair of empty, dead eyes, that widen to an extreme degree when he registers Xanxus’s appearance.  He looks as if he’s seen a ghost, mouth trying to form words and failing.  Xanxus just scowls, kicking the legs away to move forward.

But the second he makes contact, something flickers up his leg.  As powerful as an electric current, and strong enough to make Xanxus freeze.  From within, something twists awake, and Xanxus shudders at the feeling.

The man utters something wordless, and jerks his legs away, curling into a ball.  His eyes however, haven’t left the boy’s face.  Xanxus debates confronting him, but an extra pulse of rain falling from the sky makes him retreat, storming past and shaking the feeling off.

However, he can’t resist tossing his head back to check if the man is following him.  He doesn’t know why, but it feels as if he should be.  

He’s not, and Xanxus sneers at the figure still leaning against the wall, head down and curling in on himself.  As broken as everyone else in this godforsaken place.  

Just trash.  Xanxus doesn’t know why he expected better.

By the time he gets home, he’s pushed the man out of his head entirely. A homeless waste of space like that will be dead or in the claws of a gang within the week.

Except that’s not what happens.  Over the next month, the man flits in and out of Xanxus’s purview, sometimes lost in his own world or running to somewhere, and looking more and more like a homeless bum every time he sees him.  Strangely, every time he sees Xanxus, he freezes, and refuses to make eye contact, but Xanxus hasn’t had the inclination to find out why.  He’s got his own problems.  The last few weeks have been full of headaches and burning feelings in his stomach.  He’s always felt this fire in his gut, but it’s been cranked up to eleven ever since he met the man in the alley, and it’s driving him nuts.

As such, it’s not until a month after their first meeting that Xanxus learns how off his original assumption was.

Their neighbourhood caters to some of the lowest mafioso families on the crime ladder, and one of the grunts is slamming on the door of one of their downstairs neighbours.  Screaming abuse and fingering a gun with his spare hand.  Every person in the building, his mother included, had seen the man and gone running for their own rooms, desperately praying that they weren’t the target.  

Xanxus had ignored his mother’s warnings, pulling away from her grip and slipping into the hallway.  He sat on the middle steps, just out of sight of the man while keeping him in view.  A minute later, the lock on the door gives, and the mafioso is pulling a woman out by her hair.  She’s probably in her twenties, but looks a decade older from drugs and life, with bleached blonde hair and makeup smeared on her face.  Her legs are buckling, tears streaming down her face as she begs for mercy, arms wrapped around her stomach, the bulge only just starting to be noticeable.

Xanxus snorts in derision.  Blood is gold in the criminal underbelly.  The whore’s probably one of the boss’s favourites, but doesn’t want an illegitimate heir mucking up his family line.  Woman should have known better.

She’s on her knees now, sobbing furiously while the mafioso pulls out the gun and cocks it.  The sound has her trying to crawl away, only to get a backhand to the face, sending her crashing to the ground again.  The mafioso aims, and Xanxus leans forward.

Another death for stupid mistakes.  

“Hey!”

All three freeze at the voice, and turn to take in the figure in the door.

It’s the man Xanxus stumbled over that rainy afternoon, and looks as bad as ever. He’s lost the suit jacket in exchange for an olive-green raincoat with a furry hood, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the orange shirt underneath is as filthy as his dress trousers.  He’s filched a wool cap from somewhere, using it and the hood to crush most of those wild locks out of sight and mind while the straggles of a clearly unplanned beard invade his chin.  If Xanxus had ever been asked to imagine the epitome of ‘bum,’ this wouldn’t’ be too far off the mark.

The only aberration is the man’s eyes.  Xanxus could have sworn they were mud brown, but now they’re gleaming with a gold hue that can’t be natural, and focused on the mafioso like a cat on a rat.

“Let her go.”

Xanxus feels his spine straighten instinctively, fighting the shudder at the sheer power the bum manages to exude in just three words.  The mafioso doesn’t fare much better, his hand releasing the woman almost unconsciously. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she’s flying back into her home practically on all fours.  A second later, the mafioso shakes it off, and makes to follow her.

“Get back here you little-“

The bum slams his hand into the door frame, blocking the door with his smaller frame.  The mafioso has at least a foot on him, but there’s not a hint of hesitation. Clearly, he’s insane.

This is the mafioso’s opinion too, and he sneers down at the interloper.

“What, you her newest John?  Bitch like her aint worth the bullet hole you’re asking for.”

The man doesn’t move.  

“I’ll tell you this just once” he warns.  “Back off.  Turn around and walk away.”

The mafioso does take a step back, but he’s just running his eyes up and down his targets frame, sneer turning into a smirk.

“Ohhh, so you’re the one causing so much trouble downtown” he says.  “Heard you took out three of Nino’s boys last week for roughing up the girls they’d bought and paid for.  Got a lot of people who want you dead in a gutter.  What, you want the district for yourself?”

“No” was the reply.  “But life has beaten into me the importance of standing up for those that can’t, whether you want to or not.”

“What the fuck are you?  A greeting card?”

He doesn’t answer, and the mafioso scowls, hand going out to shove the bum out of the way – only for the bum’s own hand to snap up, deflecting the arm and sending him spinning out the door with a squawk.  He pulls himself up and snarls, pulling out the gun and pointing it almost point blank at the man’s skull.

“Piss off you asshole!”

He fires, and Xanxus braces to see blood and brain matter spray over the wall. But it doesn’t.

Before Xanxus could register it, the bum had moved out of the way, his hand slumming into the mafioso’s nose.  The bullet flies into the wall, and the next thing Xanxus sees is the bum performing a terrifyingly quick move with his hands that sees the gun fall to the floor and the mafioso’s arm twist in unnatural angles.  He’s howling in pain, dropping to his knees, only to find a leg slam into his skull, sending him flying towards the door.  With eerie grace, the bum steps forward.

“Get out” he orders.

It’s just for a moment, but Xanxus swears he sees flames burning on the man’s fists.  The hall fills with their presence, and from somewhere deep inside, Xanxus feels something fighting to get out and match him.  From the way the mafioso is staring at his attacker, he’s not the only one.  He struggles to his feet, and throws himself out the door.

His disappearance starts the floodgates, and doors start to open, neighbours utterly confused at the turn of events.  The flames vanish, and Xanxus bites back the gasp as the aura he’d been drowning in vanishes as quick as it came, leaving him hollow and clawing his chest at the loss.  

Ignorant of what he’d done to the boy on the stair, the bum walks into the woman’s home, and closes the door.  When Xanxus heads downwards and tries to push it open, it stays firm despite the lock still being shattered.

He’s tempted to try and get in through a window outside, but his mother descends upon him, and pulls him back indoors, refusing to let him out of her sight until the morning.

When he finally manages to get away, the door is open, and both his neighbour and the bum are gone.

---

The natural assumption is that the bum took the woman for himself, but gossip flies through the building like wildfire.  Those closest to the apartment had seen the man escort the pregnant woman out of the house, a suitcase of her belongings in one hand.  He’d been an utter gentleman, and when one neighbour had been brave enough to question him, he’d merely said he was sending the woman somewhere safe.

Nobody knew why he’d shown up – was he a john?  A relative?  A rival mafioso trying to leave a message?  The only one who knew for sure was the bum, and he’d vanished into thin air.

Not that it stopped Xanxus from prowling the streets looking for him.  

It’s as frustrating as it is dangerous to be so focused on something you can’t grasp.  But Xanxus can’t get the man out of his head.  Can’t forget the electric current, or the feeling he’d ignited that night. When he concentrates, he can feel the burning feeling inside him grow, and not a week later, he’d achieved a small flick of red tainted with the familiar orange.

Flames.

Xanxus hadn’t been seeing things.  The bum had set himself alight.  With this assurance, he asks his mother if she’d ever heard of such a thing.  He’d had to wait for one of her more stable moments, but when she was mostly sober and coherent, he’d hit jackpot.

“The man had flames?  Oh, I should have brought him home.  Things would be so much easier with flames.”

“What are they?”

“Flames are flames” she’d replied, and Xanxus scowled.

“What’s the fucking point of them?”

His mother laughs.  “Flames are everything Xanxus.  Oh, I hope you get them.  Life will be easier then.  If you get flames, it’s a straight ticket to the life we deserve.”

He’s still growling, and she leans back, fingering a bottle to her side.

“Flames are the lifeblood of the Mafia royalty” she continues.  “If you have orange flames, you are a ruler.  Any other colour, and you’re a follower.  The stronger the flames, the stronger the person.”

She leans over and clasps her hands on Xanxus’s shoulders.

“You will be a powerful flame user Xanxus” she insists.  “I knew it the moment you were born.  I dallied with many a powerful man in my younger days, but nobody will believe me unless we can prove it.  When they emerge, we will ascend to our true place.  Ah, I almost can’t wait.”

She almost makes to hug him, only to pull off and grab the bottle instead. Xanxus shrugs it off – he’s long understood his importance in her priorities.

If she’s expecting him to reveal these flames at some point, it certainly explains why she’s kept him around.  Woman with kids don’t exactly make the most money around here.

Still, probably best he keeps quiet until he knows how to control them properly.  Especially since the red flames are currently overtaking the orange when he brings them out.

No fucking way is he going to be anything less than royalty.  

But he can’t get very far if he doesn’t know what he’s doing.  Instinct has limits.  The bum can tell him how to master them, all he needs to do is find him.

A week later, and he finds the source of his frustration when a giant pillar of fire soars through the air not two blocks from his home.  Most flee expecting a gas leak, but Xanxus bolts in the direction, turning a corner only to freeze in shock at what he sees.

It’s beautiful.  

The man is still dressed like a pathetic waste of space, but with the flames burning on his forehead and gloves, flying through the air and ripping through his opponents, he exudes everything Xanxus has ever wanted.

This.  This is a King.  This is everything Xanxus wants to be.  Powerful, strong, untouchable.

Yet, even as he says that, the colour of the flames shifts slightly. Tiny flecks of a darker flame dart through the hue, much like the orange does to his red.  Usually when the man is making contact with his opponents. Xanxus wonders if that’s just something all flames do, his own – dim as they are – fluctuate in their presence, and it takes everything he has not to run forward to join him.

The mafioso, survivors at the core, quickly realise just how outmatched they are when the flames enter the match, and they’re quick to flee, desperate to avoid the wrath of a flame user.  When they vanish from view, the man’s flames vanish, and he staggers on his feet, only to fall back, lying back on the pavement and refusing to get up. Xanxus scoffs, only to freeze when the man calls out.

“I can feel you.  Might as well come out.”

With that, his head turns in Xanxus’s direction.  The boy scowls, but decides to take the invitation offered.

Once again, when the man realises just whose coming towards him, his eyes widen and his body tenses.  For a split second, Xanxus thinks the man might just bolt, and he quickens his pace to make sure he can cut the man off if he dares.

“Trash” he greets.  The man blinks in confusion.

“Xanxus?  But…how?”

The boy’s eyes narrow.

“How the hell do you know my name Trash?”

The man just keeps staring, and Xanxus kicks him again.  He winces, and pushes himself into a sitting position.

“Sorry, I’m just surprised” he says.  “I’ve heard your name around.  Sofia mentioned you when I was taking her to the train station.”

“Sofia?”

The man smiles.  “The pregnant woman who lives in your building.  I guess I should have realised you were the flame user, I just got didn’t expect those flames.”

Xanxus frowns.  “The train station?  And what’s wrong with my flames.”

The man shrugs, and Xanxus gets the feeling he’s not fully there.  “That man, or whoever he was working for, would have tried again.  I had to get her out of the city, so I gave her the money for a one-way ticket and told her to pick a direction.  She and the baby should be okay so long as she doesn’t come back.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?” Xanxus asks, genuinely puzzled.  “You sweet on her?”

A shake of the head.  “It was the right thing to do.  And nobody else was going to do it.  I could help, and right now that’s all that’s keeping me going.”

He looks up at the boy glaring at him.  “As for your flames, I felt storm instead of sky flames.  I…thought you would have sky flames, so I didn’t realise it was you.”

“Sky, storm?” Xanxus echoes, barely realising he’s sitting down next to the man before he’s on the ground.  “What’s the difference?”

The man bites his lip, glancing over, and Xanxus scowls.

“Oi!  Tell me.”

“…What do you already know?”

“I know orange flames are the best” Xanxus snaps.  “If you have them, you’re mafia royalty.”

The man nods.  “Well, that’s sort of true.  It’s not a case of being the best though.  Orange flames mean you’re a sky.  But that doesn’t mean anything unless you harmonise.  There are other flame types as well, skies are rare, so most people have one or more of the other types.  Red for storm, blue for rain, yellow for sun, green for lightning, indigo for mist and purple for cloud.  They all have their own skills and abilities, and what most flame users want more than anything, is to harmonise with a sky and become a guardian.”

“Harmonise?  Guardian.”

He’s clearly reluctant to continue, but Xanxus grabs his jacket and glares, daring the man to move away. It works, and the man continues.

“A sky’s attribute is harmonisation, and the only way to be a true sky is to harmonise with at least one of each other element.  They…strengthen you, stabilise you, and you them.  They become your guardians, sworn to protect you as much as you would protect them.  To harmonise is to belong to that sky, for that sky to belong to you.  If you activate as a sky, you’ll start looking for guardians.”

Xanxus spits.  “Like hell I will.  I don’t need anyone to protect me.”

The man smiles as if remembering something fond.  “You won’t be able to help it.  I thought nobody would want to harmonise with someone like me before I activated but…even if you fight it, you’ll pull in guardians without even meaning to.”

“Yeah?  Then where’s yours trash?”

It was like hitting a light switch.  The fond smile vanished and the eyes dimmed back to that dead look Xanxus had first seen all those weeks ago.  He suddenly feels like crap, and he honestly doesn’t know why.

“They’re gone” the man rasps.  “I’ve gone somewhere they can’t follow.”

It’s an odd way to say dead, but Xanxus can read between the lines.

The man is clenching his hands (wrapped in mittens, strange.  Xanxus could have sworn he was wearing gloves), focused on the numbers etched on the front.  “Harmonisation is…it makes life better.  There’s no words for how a full harmonisation feels.  But on the other scale, when you lose that harmony…it can destroy flame users.  I’ve been fighting discord ever since I got here – when I felt a budding sky in the area I was drawn to them.  You’re not fully active, but you’re leaking enough that I can leech off your flames harmony element and keep mine from self destructing.”

He looks away.

“I might have leeched too much and brought your other flames to the surface by accident.  That’s why you feel like a storm instead.  If I leave tonight, they should go back to normal and you should activate normally soon enough.”

He begins to stand, only for Xanxus to pull back on the jacket, crashing him to the ground.  A moment later, the man is staring up at the eight-year-old pinning him to the ground.

“No.”

“…No?”

“No, you’re not just going to leave” Xanxus snarls, eyes bright.  “You know how to activate these flames, so you’re going to show me how to do it.”

“Xanxus, that’s not-“

“I’m not asking trash!” he snaps.  “I can almost get the red flame out, but I can’t force the orange one the same way.  If you’re the reason for that, then you’re going to fix it.”

He tries to focus on his flames, and grins when he feels the man’s own flare against the attempt.  However, his prisoner jerks back in panic, bucking the boy off.

“Stop!  Before you do something we can’t take back!”

Xanxus’s flames hesitate, and it’s enough for the mans to vanish, locked away so tight Xanxus can’t even feel them.  The man is gasping in panic, and holds up a hand while he stumbles to his feet.

“I’ll show you” he agrees.  “But you can’t do that again.  If you want to be a sky, then that can’t happen.”

Xanxus doesn’t fully understand, but he’s getting what he wants, so he’ll run with it.

“So, what do I call you trash?” he asks, and the man sighs, dropping into a bow (what the fuck?).

“Tsunayoshi” he says, which is far too much of a mouthful and Xanxus has no intention of remembering it.  Clearly, this must be obvious, because his teacher is giving him a bitter smile.

“But most people just call me Tsuna.”

#Katekyo Hitman Reborn fanfiction #Katekyo Hitman Reborn #KHR Fanfic #Xanxus #Tsuna #Time Travel #Inspired by Araceil & Reighosts Flame universe

[scholaarblog]

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

If You’re Finally Ready For ‘Overnight’ Success, Now You Can… “Clone My Entire Copywriting Business From A-Z!” Instantly Propel Yourself Into The Big Leagues As A Hotshot Copywriter, Set Up Your Own Internet Direct Response Agency, Own A Highly Lucrative ‘Copywriting Business-In-A-Box’, And Much Much More…

Having good writing skills is an asset, but not necessary

The truth is, it’s actually ridiculously easy, because you get virtually EVERYTHING you need to start bringing in riches and fame beyond your wildest dreams.

It’s time to screech off on the wildest (and richest) ride of your life.

Announcing…

Jo Han Mok’s Copywriting Empire 3.0!

As you continue to read every word of this report, you’ll discover:

Exactly what my brand new Copywriting Empire 3.0 program is all about How your bank account will explode and how your life will be transformed as a result of this program Who your potential clients are, and why they’ll be literally ‘begging’ you to work with them How this program is going to work and exactly what you’ll get when you join this program And finally, the time sensitive action you need to do in order to lay your hands on over $4997 worth of FREE moneymaking bonuses

Let’s start off with what my new Copywriting Empire 3.0 program is all about.

This is very much a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-down-to-business program.

The objective of this program is two-fold:

“To become an A level, world class copywriter, and to transform your copywriting skills into money with your very own turnkey Internet Direct Response Agency…” In other words, you’ll be completely immersed in the world of copywriting … developing an “A” game – everything from mastering killer headlines … to laying down great leads and letter copy … to building a professional portfolio … to structuring your freelance business … to lining up clientele … to understanding the mechanics and workings of the direct-response industry.

You don’t realize it yet, but by the time you’re done with Copywriting Empire 3.0:

You’ll become a skilled writer empowered to compete against — and beat — the very best copywriters in the world.

And you’ll get a goldmine of proven strategies for marketing your business and your individual talents and you’ll know exactly how to put together everything you’re learning to build and run a perfectly organized, money-making business of your own.

I can pretty much guarantee you’ll:

Begin building a solid business in a matter of months, not years Always knowing exactly what to do in any business situation Expanding your business until you have all the work you want Never worrying where your next assignment will come from Always be organized, motivated, and focused Maximize your income, boosting your free time, and minimizing stress Starting and running a business is a strategic, methodical, big-picture undertaking. You’re no longer an employee — you’re the boss. And I’m not expecting you to take this big step on your own.

I’ve done 95% of all the work for you, and will be with you every step of the way.

Nothing is left to chance.

Money, Power & Freedom Awaits You! This is a detailed, easy-to-understand roadmap to making bucketloads of cash from your own successful Internet direct response agency.

It’s been created to shine a bright light on a make-or-break part of your writing business that isn’t covered anywhere else.

There’s no theory here …just proven, real-world results.

So if you’ve ever wanted your own business that offers stunning freedom and outrageous money for very little work… this is gonna to rock your world.

How Much Freedom? Well, think about it.

One of the greatest things about copywriting is that it is a financially valuable skill you’ll have for a lifetime – one where you can decide how to make it serve you best.

For me, I LOVE not having to wake up to an alarm clock, and being able to sleep in for as long as I want.

If you love getting up early to work, you can do it.

If you work best at night, do that instead. If you want to write for three hours or eight hours – the choice is yours.

You can operate your business with nothing more than a laptop, or if you so prefer…a pen and a pad of paper.

So technically, your office could be anywhere.

It could be your kitchen table, your bedroom, a sidewalk café, Starbucks, or even right smack in the middle of a pool.

You can take a break whenever you feel like it, stop work whenever you want, or live your life on a permanent vacation.

You don’t answer to anyone but yourself.

Clients respect your time… and pay you ridiculous sums of cash to write copy that’s EASY for you (once you know the simple shortcuts)… and you decide how much money you want to earn each year.

How Much Money? Here are some typical figures. First, beginners start at about $2,500.00 for a typical direct mail sales letter. The industry average is about $6,500.00 for the same type of letter and can go up to $25,000.00 or more! Personally, I charge $25,000.00 plus 5% of the gross sales generated by the letter. By the way, in case you’re wondering why someone would pay you all this money just to write a letter, the answer is simple: They expect that your letter will make THEM a LOT OF MONEY And if you are any good, it will. If you would rather not deal with clients, that’s OK too because then you get to keep ALL the profits – not just 5% of the gross.

If your letter produces $1,000,000.00 in sales — if it is your promotion — your typical profit from such a letter could be $300,000.00 to $400,000.00!!! And because you will be writing the letter yourself, you SAVE the $25,000.00 up front fee. Regardless of how you decide to use your new letter writing ability, you will find that you can pretty much have the freedom to live life as you choose.

And the best part is, you can do all this without a bunch of employees and high overheads. This is your opportunity to escape the 9-to-5 rat race and all the office politics, unappreciative bosses and skimpy raises that go along with it

You’ll Always Be In Charge! Once you learn how to turn your copywriting skills into cash, you will never be out of work, no matter where you live, no matter what happens to the economy. You’ll have total “job security.”

Since you’re your own boss, you can never be fired. And this we’re just barely scratching the surface here.

You’re gonna be far more excited when you discover who your potential clients are, and why they’ll be literally ‘begging’ you to work with them.

But first, you might be wondering … with the economy in such dire straits, is there still a need for copywriters? Absolutely.

You’ll Always Be In Demand! You see, whether sales are up or down, one reality never changes: In the world of direct response, Copy is King.

Copy is the engine that drives all great marketing campaigns.

Remember this: NOTHING happens until the copy gets written.

And that’s the great thing about our industry: Whether the economy’s struggling or flying high, the demand for copywriters will always be there. If you follow my simple instructions… every client you deal with will clearly understand that YOU are the key to their continued success. You’re not just a “vendor”, or some easily-replaceable consultant So despite the current state of the economy and the job losses happening all around us, you can still enjoy the dream lifestyle freelance copywriting affords you. More importantly, you can take control of your personal and financial future at a time when it’s never been more crucial to do so – and never have to wake up in the morning wondering whether your job will be there for you when you get to work. Talk is cheap though, so let’s take a look at the giant markets out there that are desperately willing to shell out the big bucks for people like YOU.

The Mother Of All Markets – The Worldwide Web! First of all, there’s this giant market known as the Internet. People need copy for:

Sales Pages Landing Pages Ezines Email Campaigns Pay-per-click campaigns Blogs Press Releases There’s definitely no shortage of work that the web alone can bring you. And then, there’s the $6.5 trillion market called the B2B, or Business To Business market nearly all of these companies need marketing materials – from Web sites, e-mails, and e-newsletters… to sales letters, direct mail packages, postcards, and self-mailers… to brochures, catalogs, videos, and PowerPoint presentations – to sell their products and services to business buyers. That represents a largely untapped, virtually unlimited market for freelance copywriting services.

Get Paid To Improve Your Life! And there’s also one of my favorite markets, the Self-Improvement market.

So much of the self-help industry is about fixing something – whether it’s your sex life, your soul, or your cardiovascular system. And that means… More than enough products to fulfill a copywriter’s dream! –And it’s burning for talent like yours.

Profit From Nonprofits! Interestingly, there’s also lot of moolah to be made from non-profit organizations. Whether you dedicate yourself to writing for nonprofits full-time or this is something you do to complement your work in other sectors, you’ll find writing in the interest of helping a cause to be one of the most rewarding kinds of writing there is.

Big national nonprofits – have lots of well-paid marketing managers who pay their freelance copywriters handsomely to craft sales letters that support their causes, promote their message,s and bring in a flood of donations

The floodgates are open, my friend.

The Financial Market – An Absolute Money Machine Not to forget, there’s also the most lucrative market of them all, the financial market.

Banks … mutual funds … mortgage brokers … financial planners … brokerage firms … insurance companies … options trading services … and other clients in the financial services industry are all desperate to pay top dollar to copywriters who can sell more of their investment products and services to profit-hungry investors.

As a financial copywriter, you’ll be exposed to all kinds of money-making information – and not just mutual funds. You could write about stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, emerging markets, foreign currencies, hedge funds…

Your opportunities are endless.

The buck doesn’t end there though.

Save Lives And Rake In A Surgeon’s Income! There’s also BIG money to be made in the Health market.

Everywhere you look, there’s talk about how to get healthier. How to fight cancer. How to lose weight. How to beat the flu. And as more experts point to nutrition as the solution, demand for dietary supplements is skyrocketing. In fact, global need has already topped $162 billion a year!

And that’s great news for people like us.

Health care copywriting can give you a steady stream of assignments even when the economy is uncertain, because the demand for health care products is largely unaffected by recession.

And there’s simply no bigger satisfaction than knowing you’re educating others on how to live longer, more energetic lives.

So how do you become that ‘go-to’ guy and put yourself in the enviable ‘toll-booth’ position where you can get FAT checks simply by giving these markets what they want?

Well, that’s exactly what Copywriting Empire Version 3.0 is all about.

Empowering you with THE copywriting skills and putting you in this coveted position where you can enjoy unlimited freedom, respect, money and POWER!

The 3 Pillars Of Your Copywriting Empire Let me walk you through the 3 pillars upon which the program is founded on.

Pillar #1: You get my proven, stunningly simple short-cuts that will instantly boost your skills at writing killer sales copy even if you currently suck now.

I’ve tested and perfected an ingenious new ‘template-based’ copywriting system that lets you create powerful sales letters, web pages, emails and space ads faster and more effectively than anything you’ve ever seen. My ‘magic templates’ takes all the guesswork out of creating response boosting winners. Just open a template on your computer, follow the simple, step-by-step instructions for each type of marketing piece, and you’ll be able to repeatedly create powerful copy whenever you need it. Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned copywriter or a complete beginner, you will master the ability to use my templates to quickly and easily create highly profitable sales copy. I absolutely guarantee your success — or you won’t pay a dime.

With my system you’ll be able to write sharp, powerful wicked good copy that you know is more compelling than anything else you produced previously.

You’ll gain the copywriting skills – and master the persuasion strategies — you need to write a steady stream of winning promotions that can send response rates soaring … and sales through the roof!

You’ll learn:

How to structure your message How to craft powerful headlines that grab’em by the jugular How to instantly ‘connect’ with your reader How to weave ‘hypnotic stories’ into your copy How to incorporate the strongest benefits your product has to offer How to create the proper ‘look’ for your sales piece And WAY too much to list over here. Can you imagine…

In just hours, you’ll learn what to do to make rapid, conversion-boosting tweaks to your own salesletters’ headlines and subheads.

You can’t find a better way to master the techniques of world-class copy, than to “look over my shoulder as I explain everything” to you, step by simple step.

In short, you’ll be able to hotwire all my 9 years of copywriting knowledge – literally overnight!

It’s a very specific (and easy) roadmap that will take you from wherever you are right now, to where you want to be, as fast as humanly possible.

Pillar #2: You get the guaranteed ways to have a steady, unending stream of high-paying clients BEGGING you to write ads for them… starting as soon as you decide you’re ready.

This is the shortest way to the top — where the money is outrageous, and life is super-easy.

You get the straight scoop on how to ramp up your copywriting business… fast!

You’ll be able land major Copywriting gigs … EVEN IF YOU’RE A BEGINNER!

Effortlessly attract ‘dream’ clients with:

More money … More repeat business … And greater financial stability!

Obviously, you’re thinking:

“I’m a nobody, who would want to hire me?”

“Where can I find my first client?”

“I have no experience. What do I do when a potential client asks to see my portfolio?”

“How do I set myself apart from other copywriters competing for the same gig?”

“How do I charge for my services?”

I’ve got ALL the answers for you – and a whole lot more in this module.

I guarantee you won’t find a more comprehensive collection of field-tested strategies, tactics, and tools for finding, attracting, getting, and keeping top-paying copywriting clients.

By following my simple methods – which I GUARANTEE that you can duplicate with ease – you can flood your inbox with inquiries, orders, leads, and new business … more projects and assignments than you could ever hope to handle.

And the best is yet to come…

Pillar #3: You get everything you need to set up your own Internet Direct Response Agency.

You’ll learn how to create your OWN “client bait” site that bring in clients, cash in hand, from all over the world.

I provide you with sample phone scripts, contracts, , introduction, proposal and confirmation letters, rate schedules, and agreements you can use right away

You’ll be able to have potential customers and clients come to you … rather than you going to them.

That means no expensive advertising, no “begging” for business … no more low-balling your price just to close a sale.

Generate up to ten times as many leads as you could ever hope to handle – and get booked up to 3 to 6 months in advance.

Eliminate cold calling, sales presentations, or the need to do any personal selling.

Gain the admiration, respect, and (yes) even awe of your friends in your market and community.

More importantly, I’ll jettison you in the big leagues by giving you everything you need to position yourself as a Marketing consultant and get paid big bucks to conduct marketing checkups and makeovers.

You see, I’m not trying to brag or boast, but I have made a ton of money in the “advice business.” And I’ve done this in almost every way imaginable: writing, publishing, speaking, Webinars, teleconferences, seminars, boot camps, consulting, audio CDs, videos, and coaching. Now, I have taken everything you need to start and run a successful six-figure consulting business and I’m giving it to you

You get all the sales materials, all the scripts and lead generation materials plus a step-by-step “System” to follow in order to make the process go smoothly.

You’ll also get a “Real” consulting report that I did for a client that paid over $6,500 for one day of consulting.

I walk you through exactly everything you need to do, every step of the way, so that you too, can “advise and profit!”

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire Free Download

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire Free Download

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Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire published first on http://ift.tt/2zeC3iy

[profitinfomastery]

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire

If You’re Finally Ready For ‘Overnight’ Success, Now You Can… “Clone My Entire Copywriting Business From A-Z!” Instantly Propel Yourself Into The Big Leagues As A Hotshot Copywriter, Set Up Your Own Internet Direct Response Agency, Own A Highly Lucrative ‘Copywriting Business-In-A-Box’, And Much Much More…

Having good writing skills is an asset, but not necessary

The truth is, it’s actually ridiculously easy, because you get virtually EVERYTHING you need to start bringing in riches and fame beyond your wildest dreams.

It’s time to screech off on the wildest (and richest) ride of your life.

Announcing…

Jo Han Mok’s Copywriting Empire 3.0!

As you continue to read every word of this report, you’ll discover:

Exactly what my brand new Copywriting Empire 3.0 program is all about How your bank account will explode and how your life will be transformed as a result of this program Who your potential clients are, and why they’ll be literally ‘begging’ you to work with them How this program is going to work and exactly what you’ll get when you join this program And finally, the time sensitive action you need to do in order to lay your hands on over $4997 worth of FREE moneymaking bonuses

Let’s start off with what my new Copywriting Empire 3.0 program is all about.

This is very much a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-down-to-business program.

The objective of this program is two-fold:

“To become an A level, world class copywriter, and to transform your copywriting skills into money with your very own turnkey Internet Direct Response Agency…” In other words, you’ll be completely immersed in the world of copywriting … developing an “A” game – everything from mastering killer headlines … to laying down great leads and letter copy … to building a professional portfolio … to structuring your freelance business … to lining up clientele … to understanding the mechanics and workings of the direct-response industry.

You don’t realize it yet, but by the time you’re done with Copywriting Empire 3.0:

You’ll become a skilled writer empowered to compete against — and beat — the very best copywriters in the world.

And you’ll get a goldmine of proven strategies for marketing your business and your individual talents and you’ll know exactly how to put together everything you’re learning to build and run a perfectly organized, money-making business of your own.

I can pretty much guarantee you’ll:

Begin building a solid business in a matter of months, not years Always knowing exactly what to do in any business situation Expanding your business until you have all the work you want Never worrying where your next assignment will come from Always be organized, motivated, and focused Maximize your income, boosting your free time, and minimizing stress Starting and running a business is a strategic, methodical, big-picture undertaking. You’re no longer an employee — you’re the boss. And I’m not expecting you to take this big step on your own.

I’ve done 95% of all the work for you, and will be with you every step of the way.

Nothing is left to chance.

Money, Power & Freedom Awaits You! This is a detailed, easy-to-understand roadmap to making bucketloads of cash from your own successful Internet direct response agency.

It’s been created to shine a bright light on a make-or-break part of your writing business that isn’t covered anywhere else.

There’s no theory here …just proven, real-world results.

So if you’ve ever wanted your own business that offers stunning freedom and outrageous money for very little work… this is gonna to rock your world.

How Much Freedom? Well, think about it.

One of the greatest things about copywriting is that it is a financially valuable skill you’ll have for a lifetime – one where you can decide how to make it serve you best.

For me, I LOVE not having to wake up to an alarm clock, and being able to sleep in for as long as I want.

If you love getting up early to work, you can do it.

If you work best at night, do that instead. If you want to write for three hours or eight hours – the choice is yours.

You can operate your business with nothing more than a laptop, or if you so prefer…a pen and a pad of paper.

So technically, your office could be anywhere.

It could be your kitchen table, your bedroom, a sidewalk café, Starbucks, or even right smack in the middle of a pool.

You can take a break whenever you feel like it, stop work whenever you want, or live your life on a permanent vacation.

You don’t answer to anyone but yourself.

Clients respect your time… and pay you ridiculous sums of cash to write copy that’s EASY for you (once you know the simple shortcuts)… and you decide how much money you want to earn each year.

How Much Money? Here are some typical figures. First, beginners start at about $2,500.00 for a typical direct mail sales letter. The industry average is about $6,500.00 for the same type of letter and can go up to $25,000.00 or more! Personally, I charge $25,000.00 plus 5% of the gross sales generated by the letter. By the way, in case you’re wondering why someone would pay you all this money just to write a letter, the answer is simple: They expect that your letter will make THEM a LOT OF MONEY And if you are any good, it will. If you would rather not deal with clients, that’s OK too because then you get to keep ALL the profits – not just 5% of the gross.

If your letter produces $1,000,000.00 in sales — if it is your promotion — your typical profit from such a letter could be $300,000.00 to $400,000.00!!! And because you will be writing the letter yourself, you SAVE the $25,000.00 up front fee. Regardless of how you decide to use your new letter writing ability, you will find that you can pretty much have the freedom to live life as you choose.

And the best part is, you can do all this without a bunch of employees and high overheads. This is your opportunity to escape the 9-to-5 rat race and all the office politics, unappreciative bosses and skimpy raises that go along with it

You’ll Always Be In Charge! Once you learn how to turn your copywriting skills into cash, you will never be out of work, no matter where you live, no matter what happens to the economy. You’ll have total “job security.”

Since you’re your own boss, you can never be fired. And this we’re just barely scratching the surface here.

You’re gonna be far more excited when you discover who your potential clients are, and why they’ll be literally ‘begging’ you to work with them.

But first, you might be wondering … with the economy in such dire straits, is there still a need for copywriters? Absolutely.

You’ll Always Be In Demand! You see, whether sales are up or down, one reality never changes: In the world of direct response, Copy is King.

Copy is the engine that drives all great marketing campaigns.

Remember this: NOTHING happens until the copy gets written.

And that’s the great thing about our industry: Whether the economy’s struggling or flying high, the demand for copywriters will always be there. If you follow my simple instructions… every client you deal with will clearly understand that YOU are the key to their continued success. You’re not just a “vendor”, or some easily-replaceable consultant So despite the current state of the economy and the job losses happening all around us, you can still enjoy the dream lifestyle freelance copywriting affords you. More importantly, you can take control of your personal and financial future at a time when it’s never been more crucial to do so – and never have to wake up in the morning wondering whether your job will be there for you when you get to work. Talk is cheap though, so let’s take a look at the giant markets out there that are desperately willing to shell out the big bucks for people like YOU.

The Mother Of All Markets – The Worldwide Web! First of all, there’s this giant market known as the Internet. People need copy for:

Sales Pages Landing Pages Ezines Email Campaigns Pay-per-click campaigns Blogs Press Releases There’s definitely no shortage of work that the web alone can bring you. And then, there’s the $6.5 trillion market called the B2B, or Business To Business market nearly all of these companies need marketing materials – from Web sites, e-mails, and e-newsletters… to sales letters, direct mail packages, postcards, and self-mailers… to brochures, catalogs, videos, and PowerPoint presentations – to sell their products and services to business buyers. That represents a largely untapped, virtually unlimited market for freelance copywriting services.

Get Paid To Improve Your Life! And there’s also one of my favorite markets, the Self-Improvement market.

So much of the self-help industry is about fixing something – whether it’s your sex life, your soul, or your cardiovascular system. And that means… More than enough products to fulfill a copywriter’s dream! –And it’s burning for talent like yours.

Profit From Nonprofits! Interestingly, there’s also lot of moolah to be made from non-profit organizations. Whether you dedicate yourself to writing for nonprofits full-time or this is something you do to complement your work in other sectors, you’ll find writing in the interest of helping a cause to be one of the most rewarding kinds of writing there is.

Big national nonprofits – have lots of well-paid marketing managers who pay their freelance copywriters handsomely to craft sales letters that support their causes, promote their message,s and bring in a flood of donations

The floodgates are open, my friend.

The Financial Market – An Absolute Money Machine Not to forget, there’s also the most lucrative market of them all, the financial market.

Banks … mutual funds … mortgage brokers … financial planners … brokerage firms … insurance companies … options trading services … and other clients in the financial services industry are all desperate to pay top dollar to copywriters who can sell more of their investment products and services to profit-hungry investors.

As a financial copywriter, you’ll be exposed to all kinds of money-making information – and not just mutual funds. You could write about stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, emerging markets, foreign currencies, hedge funds…

Your opportunities are endless.

The buck doesn’t end there though.

Save Lives And Rake In A Surgeon’s Income! There’s also BIG money to be made in the Health market.

Everywhere you look, there’s talk about how to get healthier. How to fight cancer. How to lose weight. How to beat the flu. And as more experts point to nutrition as the solution, demand for dietary supplements is skyrocketing. In fact, global need has already topped $162 billion a year!

And that’s great news for people like us.

Health care copywriting can give you a steady stream of assignments even when the economy is uncertain, because the demand for health care products is largely unaffected by recession.

And there’s simply no bigger satisfaction than knowing you’re educating others on how to live longer, more energetic lives.

So how do you become that ‘go-to’ guy and put yourself in the enviable ‘toll-booth’ position where you can get FAT checks simply by giving these markets what they want?

Well, that’s exactly what Copywriting Empire Version 3.0 is all about.

Empowering you with THE copywriting skills and putting you in this coveted position where you can enjoy unlimited freedom, respect, money and POWER!

The 3 Pillars Of Your Copywriting Empire Let me walk you through the 3 pillars upon which the program is founded on.

Pillar #1: You get my proven, stunningly simple short-cuts that will instantly boost your skills at writing killer sales copy even if you currently suck now.

I’ve tested and perfected an ingenious new ‘template-based’ copywriting system that lets you create powerful sales letters, web pages, emails and space ads faster and more effectively than anything you’ve ever seen. My ‘magic templates’ takes all the guesswork out of creating response boosting winners. Just open a template on your computer, follow the simple, step-by-step instructions for each type of marketing piece, and you’ll be able to repeatedly create powerful copy whenever you need it. Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned copywriter or a complete beginner, you will master the ability to use my templates to quickly and easily create highly profitable sales copy. I absolutely guarantee your success — or you won’t pay a dime.

With my system you’ll be able to write sharp, powerful wicked good copy that you know is more compelling than anything else you produced previously.

You’ll gain the copywriting skills – and master the persuasion strategies — you need to write a steady stream of winning promotions that can send response rates soaring … and sales through the roof!

You’ll learn:

How to structure your message How to craft powerful headlines that grab’em by the jugular How to instantly ‘connect’ with your reader How to weave ‘hypnotic stories’ into your copy How to incorporate the strongest benefits your product has to offer How to create the proper ‘look’ for your sales piece And WAY too much to list over here. Can you imagine…

In just hours, you’ll learn what to do to make rapid, conversion-boosting tweaks to your own salesletters’ headlines and subheads.

You can’t find a better way to master the techniques of world-class copy, than to “look over my shoulder as I explain everything” to you, step by simple step.

In short, you’ll be able to hotwire all my 9 years of copywriting knowledge – literally overnight!

It’s a very specific (and easy) roadmap that will take you from wherever you are right now, to where you want to be, as fast as humanly possible.

Pillar #2: You get the guaranteed ways to have a steady, unending stream of high-paying clients BEGGING you to write ads for them… starting as soon as you decide you’re ready.

This is the shortest way to the top — where the money is outrageous, and life is super-easy.

You get the straight scoop on how to ramp up your copywriting business… fast!

You’ll be able land major Copywriting gigs … EVEN IF YOU’RE A BEGINNER!

Effortlessly attract ‘dream’ clients with:

More money … More repeat business … And greater financial stability!

Obviously, you’re thinking:

“I’m a nobody, who would want to hire me?”

“Where can I find my first client?”

“I have no experience. What do I do when a potential client asks to see my portfolio?”

“How do I set myself apart from other copywriters competing for the same gig?”

“How do I charge for my services?”

I’ve got ALL the answers for you – and a whole lot more in this module.

I guarantee you won’t find a more comprehensive collection of field-tested strategies, tactics, and tools for finding, attracting, getting, and keeping top-paying copywriting clients.

By following my simple methods – which I GUARANTEE that you can duplicate with ease – you can flood your inbox with inquiries, orders, leads, and new business … more projects and assignments than you could ever hope to handle.

And the best is yet to come…

Pillar #3: You get everything you need to set up your own Internet Direct Response Agency.

You’ll learn how to create your OWN “client bait” site that bring in clients, cash in hand, from all over the world.

I provide you with sample phone scripts, contracts, , introduction, proposal and confirmation letters, rate schedules, and agreements you can use right away

You’ll be able to have potential customers and clients come to you … rather than you going to them.

That means no expensive advertising, no “begging” for business … no more low-balling your price just to close a sale.

Generate up to ten times as many leads as you could ever hope to handle – and get booked up to 3 to 6 months in advance.

Eliminate cold calling, sales presentations, or the need to do any personal selling.

Gain the admiration, respect, and (yes) even awe of your friends in your market and community.

More importantly, I’ll jettison you in the big leagues by giving you everything you need to position yourself as a Marketing consultant and get paid big bucks to conduct marketing checkups and makeovers.

You see, I’m not trying to brag or boast, but I have made a ton of money in the “advice business.” And I’ve done this in almost every way imaginable: writing, publishing, speaking, Webinars, teleconferences, seminars, boot camps, consulting, audio CDs, videos, and coaching. Now, I have taken everything you need to start and run a successful six-figure consulting business and I’m giving it to you

You get all the sales materials, all the scripts and lead generation materials plus a step-by-step “System” to follow in order to make the process go smoothly.

You’ll also get a “Real” consulting report that I did for a client that paid over $6,500 for one day of consulting.

I walk you through exactly everything you need to do, every step of the way, so that you too, can “advise and profit!”

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire Free Download

Jo Han Mok – Copywriting Empire Free Download

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